Preview — The Unmoving Sky
by K.L. Hallam

The Unmoving Sky

There is nothing darker than the woods, until you meet your worst fear.

Jackson Bower has a lot on his mind lately. His younger brother hasn’t been the same since his mother’s death. His father’s drinking is out of control. Then there’s Jackson’s girlfriend and the grief that ties them together even as it threatens to drive them apart.

He distances himself, hoping for a littThere is nothing darker than the woods, until you meet your worst fear.

Jackson Bower has a lot on his mind lately. His younger brother hasn’t been the same since his mother’s death. His father’s drinking is out of control. Then there’s Jackson’s girlfriend and the grief that ties them together even as it threatens to drive them apart.

He distances himself, hoping for a little perspective at the family lodge. But when their father gets drunk and dangerous, he and his brother escape into the woods.

Night creeps in, and the rains come fast. Artie slips down a ravine. He’s wounded and the brothers seek shelter in a cave, only to find someone else already taking refuge there.

A desperate man with plans to destroy their town.

Jackson must get him and his wounded brother out of the cave and over the mountain to warn everyone in time. Without getting them both killed first....more

even though the story was fast paced and a quick read, i didnt love it. but i didnt hate it either - it lands just somewhere in the middle for me. it felt like a book you would read if you wanted to pass the time, but unfortunately nothing more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shine Publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'll start by saying that it's difficult to speak about the positives and negatives of this book without revealing any spoilers. However, I've reviewed this to the best of my ability without revealing anything that the blurb does not...

It takes an incredible skill to make me feel genuine emotions within a limited number of pages. Just check out my review of The Sidekicks by Will Kostakis. Thank you to NetGalley and Shine Publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'll start by saying that it's difficult to speak about the positives and negatives of this book without revealing any spoilers. However, I've reviewed this to the best of my ability without revealing anything that the blurb does not...

It takes an incredible skill to make me feel genuine emotions within a limited number of pages. Just check out my review of The Sidekicks by Will Kostakis.

While The Unmoving Sky is a fast-paced story about two brothers who live in the shadow of their mother's death and their abusive father, and have been rescued in the woods by a mysterious man, K. L. Hallam did not leave me with the emotions that I assume she intended to.

The characterisation of the Artie was executed well, with his older brother, Jackson, appearing just as vividly. Both young boys were depicted as naïve, yet hardened by the recent turmoils of losing one parent to cancer and the other to alcohol and abuse.

I felt like this short novella explored dark themes in a way that was too superficial and only skimmed the surface. Alcohol abuse, domestic abuse, teen pregnancy, abortion and terrorism are all involved in this book, but did not leave me with any lingering thoughts.

For instance, Gunther — the man who takes the boys in after they lose their way in the woods — is a hermit who is dealing with loss himself. Despite his selfless and broken demeanour, he is soon exposed as a crazed terrorist who plans to set off a bomb in a shopping centre.

I struggled to understand the motive behind Gunther's plans and even more so the ending. Without spoiling the book for anyone, the ending was laced with philosophical musings and dialogue that honestly did not work in such a small space of time. It felt artificial and rushed, like the author was trying to force emotions into me.

Overall, The Unmoving Sky is a quick read, but ultimately does not feel like a polished, final copy (and understandably so, seeing as I read the ARC). Perhaps this book could be transformed into a best-seller, but only if the author does not limit Artie and Jackson's development to less than 300 pages. Two stars....more

The Unmoving Sky is a YA novella, so naturally it's quite short. This novella is about two brothers; Jackson and Arthur (Artie) and their problems and adventures in the wilderness. Jackson and Artie are dealing with the loss of the mother, an emotionally shut off father and girlfriend problems. Though, this all seems like nothing when Jack and Artie get stranded in the woods miles from home in the middle of a downpour of rain. they are then found by a strange bushy man who leads theJune 20162.75

The Unmoving Sky is a YA novella, so naturally it's quite short. This novella is about two brothers; Jackson and Arthur (Artie) and their problems and adventures in the wilderness. Jackson and Artie are dealing with the loss of the mother, an emotionally shut off father and girlfriend problems. Though, this all seems like nothing when Jack and Artie get stranded in the woods miles from home in the middle of a downpour of rain. they are then found by a strange bushy man who leads them to his cave.

Let me tell you, he's sketchy.

During the rainstorm Artie ends up injuring his ankle in a bear trap making it difficult to walk much. Luckily Jackson manages to get Artie out of the trap and find a tree for them to sleep under for the night. Unluckily they have to sleep through the rain so they both end up getting sick. This is how the strange man finds them. He then takes them back to his cave and tries to help heal Artie's leg.

Once the boys get to his cave they learn about his crazy plans and are forced to figure out just how much danger they are in.

Because this novella was soo short it's like not much happened but soo much happened all at once. I would recommend this because it's short, it's not light but it's good if you've got a readathon coming up and you want something short that will still have impact.

This is good for mature middle graders and definitely suitable for people older.

I received a copy of this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review...more

If you are looking for a really quick read or a book to help you out of a reading slump, this may be perfect for you. With only 98 pages, I flew through this book within two hours.

We get to follow two brothers through a hunting trip with their father. This book as a whole is more of an outdoorsy read (which could also be great for any trip into the woods) without it being too dominant of the story. There is a subtle struggle with the idea of environmental issues and hunting beliefs. Of course, oIf you are looking for a really quick read or a book to help you out of a reading slump, this may be perfect for you. With only 98 pages, I flew through this book within two hours.

We get to follow two brothers through a hunting trip with their father. This book as a whole is more of an outdoorsy read (which could also be great for any trip into the woods) without it being too dominant of the story. There is a subtle struggle with the idea of environmental issues and hunting beliefs. Of course, one of the characters happens to be a vegetarian, so we get to see that point of view throughout.

Overall, this was an ok read. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars; it wasn’t boring nor too exciting.

The ending kind of took a different turn than what I thought it would, but there was mystery behind the antagonist that made me want to continue to figure out what his story was. But since it was a short book, I felt like there cold have had a little more development before the ending. I did, however, feel like the book was overall satisfactory. Definitely a quick read....more

This is a pretty short book and a quick read. The pace was consistent all the way through.

Jackson and Artie are brothers staying in the woods with their distant alcoholic father. They wander away and get lost during a heavy rainstorm. Artie ends up hurting his ankle pretty bad in a bear trap and he can't walk much. An older man finds them and takes them in. He's been living in a cave for years and the boys find papers and bomb making matI received a copy of this from netgalley for honest review.

This is a pretty short book and a quick read. The pace was consistent all the way through.

Jackson and Artie are brothers staying in the woods with their distant alcoholic father. They wander away and get lost during a heavy rainstorm. Artie ends up hurting his ankle pretty bad in a bear trap and he can't walk much. An older man finds them and takes them in. He's been living in a cave for years and the boys find papers and bomb making materials. They must figure out if the man means them harm, if he's a friend to them, or if he's completely crazy and going to blow up a nearby building. During this time, Jackson reflects back on moments in his life including his mom's death and his girlfriend getting pregnant.

The book was well written with just a few typos here and there. It kept my attention all the way until the end. ...more

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.

Jackson and Artie live with their abusive father, and Jackson does his best to protect his brother. Their mom died a few years before and that's when this new father emerged. Jackson is growing numb to things, unsure what his future could stand for and what he could do. In the middle of a terrible rainstorm Jackson and Artie are lost in the woods, Artie struck with a critical injury.

This is a wonderfully unique and well-writI received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.

Jackson and Artie live with their abusive father, and Jackson does his best to protect his brother. Their mom died a few years before and that's when this new father emerged. Jackson is growing numb to things, unsure what his future could stand for and what he could do. In the middle of a terrible rainstorm Jackson and Artie are lost in the woods, Artie struck with a critical injury.

This is a wonderfully unique and well-written story. I really don't want to give away any more than that but I will 100% be checking out the authors other work. They really understand the dynamics of different relationships, be in parents/siblings/romance/etc. The descriptions of nature, of people, and the telling of the story is all completely believable, and definitely unique.

In a moving tribute to brotherly love, impossible decisions, the promise of youth and the tragedy of growing up too soon, The Unmoving Sky is a page turner of survival and adventure. The main characters, Jackson and Artie, came alive on the page and the details of their shared pain was heart-wrenching. The detail of this novella speaks to the talent of the author. In every scene I could smell, see, feel the environment described; it was visceral at times and completely sucked me in. My one complIn a moving tribute to brotherly love, impossible decisions, the promise of youth and the tragedy of growing up too soon, The Unmoving Sky is a page turner of survival and adventure. The main characters, Jackson and Artie, came alive on the page and the details of their shared pain was heart-wrenching. The detail of this novella speaks to the talent of the author. In every scene I could smell, see, feel the environment described; it was visceral at times and completely sucked me in. My one complaint is that I feel the story wrapped up a bit too quickly. I think there was more that could be said of the dangerous hermit that lived in the woods and his relationship with Artie. A strong four stars and I will be looking for more from K.L. Hallam....more

I had fun previewing an advance reader copy of K.L. Hallam’s suspenseful debut novella, THE UNMOVING SKY. It was a quick read that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. From the start, the set-up is ripe for action: brothers Jackson and Artie run off into the woods to escape their drunken dangerous father, but they get lost and take refuge in a cave to wait out a storm. I won’t recount much more to avoid spoilers, but someone else is hiding out there, too, and the tension ratchets up even fI had fun previewing an advance reader copy of K.L. Hallam’s suspenseful debut novella, THE UNMOVING SKY. It was a quick read that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. From the start, the set-up is ripe for action: brothers Jackson and Artie run off into the woods to escape their drunken dangerous father, but they get lost and take refuge in a cave to wait out a storm. I won’t recount much more to avoid spoilers, but someone else is hiding out there, too, and the tension ratchets up even further. I liked how Hallam keeps increasing the stakes and maintaining a brisk pace to create a page-turner. She also explores several serious themes, from alcoholism and domestic abuse to teen pregnancy and terrorism, in the course of this fast-paced adventure....more

A truly GRIPPING read!From the first page Hallam’s The Unmoving Sky is a page turner. The story of two brothers suffering unimaginable loss at the death of their mother, The Unmoving Sky shows how heartbreak and loss can affect even the closest of families in different ways. When the boys travel with their father to the family cabin in the woods, the story takes a dark turn when the boys get lost only to find themselves at the hands of a hermit who has set up home in a cave. Adventure, suspense,A truly GRIPPING read!From the first page Hallam’s The Unmoving Sky is a page turner. The story of two brothers suffering unimaginable loss at the death of their mother, The Unmoving Sky shows how heartbreak and loss can affect even the closest of families in different ways. When the boys travel with their father to the family cabin in the woods, the story takes a dark turn when the boys get lost only to find themselves at the hands of a hermit who has set up home in a cave. Adventure, suspense, drama and intrigue are tenfold in this story from the first page! I highly recommend and can’t wait to read Hallam’s next book!...more

This book is an adventure about two brothers lost in the woods. As they face life threatening obstacles, the protagonist, Jackson, reflects on their family life, the death of their mother and the emotional distance of their father. Although it has serious themes and flawed characters, it has positive messages about being true to yourself and facing diversity.

The characters are in their teens but this book would also be enjoyed by middle school-aged children who are ready for more mature themes aThis book is an adventure about two brothers lost in the woods. As they face life threatening obstacles, the protagonist, Jackson, reflects on their family life, the death of their mother and the emotional distance of their father. Although it has serious themes and flawed characters, it has positive messages about being true to yourself and facing diversity.

The characters are in their teens but this book would also be enjoyed by middle school-aged children who are ready for more mature themes and younger teens because it has just the right amount of edge for that age.

I received a copy of this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This is a really short book set in the wilderness so of course, a mini adventure ensues. Jackson and his brother Artie are dealing with the emotional aftermath of the death of their mother, a distraught and hardass father, a clingy yet loving girlfriend and a strange man who lives in a cave.

As this is so short, I'm not sure enough happened for me to be able to give it a higher rating but it definitely is a I received a copy of this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This is a really short book set in the wilderness so of course, a mini adventure ensues. Jackson and his brother Artie are dealing with the emotional aftermath of the death of their mother, a distraught and hardass father, a clingy yet loving girlfriend and a strange man who lives in a cave.

As this is so short, I'm not sure enough happened for me to be able to give it a higher rating but it definitely is a pleasant read and deals with some great themes....more

I really enjoyed reading this novella. The description of this book really intrigued me to read it and over all it was a good story. There were still some grammar mistakes in it though! I would have liked it if there was more background and character building on Gunther. I'm glad that the ending wasn't super fast-paced, it was good. I really liked the characters, especially Artie!

Jackson has a lot on his plate with grief over his deceased mother and his father's alcoholism. The story intensifies when Jackson and his brother encounter someone in the woods who wants to destroy the town. The dangerous wilderness situations blended with the emotional landscapes of the characters make this both a quick read and a page turner.

What a beautiful, suspsenseful story! This book had so many elements I love: the relationship between brothers, boy vs. nature, survival, unlikely friendships and gorgeous writing. It's a quick read, but an example of writing that can pack so much into a lean, nimble narrative. It's centered on boys, but it's not a 'boy book': it's for anyone who loves a heart-thumping, but heartfelt read!

I received a free ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. My review can also be found on my blog: Teen Read Fiend

I became interested in this book immediately when I read the synopsis for it, and I did end up quite liking it. The main character, Jackson, is incredibly interesting and I was constantly trying to figure out more of his backstory. Other supporting characters, such as Artie, were likable and/or interesting as well.

My biggest problem with the book, howeverI received a free ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. My review can also be found on my blog: Teen Read Fiend

I became interested in this book immediately when I read the synopsis for it, and I did end up quite liking it. The main character, Jackson, is incredibly interesting and I was constantly trying to figure out more of his backstory. Other supporting characters, such as Artie, were likable and/or interesting as well.

My biggest problem with the book, however, is how rushed it seems to be. The novel is quite short and as a result there's little time for the development of major plot lines or even the main characters. Much of the book was spent focusing around a potential event occurring and suddenly it was resolved with little explanation for how or why. The short length of the book also caused some confusion in some areas of the text. There were scattered flashbacks throughout the novel that had little explanation and, quite honestly, no point other than to add filler.

This book has a lot of promise and I honestly think that if it had gone through a bit more rigorous editing it could have been fantastic. However, the length of the book led to very little development of plot or characters. The conflict was resolved with little explanation and felt entirely too easy to me. I just wish more effort had been put into adding more details into the story. The extra length would have allowed for the reader to know more about the motivations of many of the characters and could have led to a much better read overall....more

The author does a great job of creating a sense of foreboding as you follow two boys lost in the woods and their unlikely savior--or is he? It will have you hanging on until the shocking, poignant ending. The relationship/conflict between the boys and their father is also interesting and well-developed. A creepy, enjoyable page-turner!

OMG! Wow! I've had the pleasure of reading some of Karen's other writing. But this one I hadn't read yet. It was very different in a very good way! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time wondering what was going to happen. Bravo Karen!! Such a pleasure to read. Great suspense! Awesome novella.

Congratulations to debut author K.L. Hallam on The Unmoving Sky! This book was a quick read. I was so nervous for Jackson as I made my way through the story! The pacing was great and the stakes kept growing! A great read!

K.L. Hallam moved around to more schools than she can list, gathering the stories that would connect to her heart. She writes MG, YA, and short fiction, or anything she hasn’t tried, a member of SCBWI, a singer, and songwriter, illustrator, and mother of two teenagers. She lives in New York City and spends her mornings writing in a Jazz club.